Russia stands by Cuba amid energy issues linked to a U.S. embargo, a Russian deputy foreign minister said on Thursday (April 9), during a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana.

Sergei Ryabkov, during a meeting at the Palace of the Revolution in the Cuban capital, also said Moscow "fully understands the complexity of the current situation the country is facing."

The Russia-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin, under U.S. sanctions, arrived in Cuba last month carrying some 700,000 barrels of Russian oil - the first large delivery of crude oil since Washington moved to cut off the island's fuel supply. The United States said it was allowing the tanker to deliver fuel for humanitarian reasons.

Russia has been endeavoring to rekindle the close links it had with Cuba during the Soviet era and has urged the United States not to blockade the island.

Cuba has been grappling with a deepening energy crisis triggered after the Trump administration cut off its fuel supply.

On Thursday night, a “voluntary shutdown of several electrical circuits and blocks” took place in Havana to “stabilize the frequency and protect the national grid,” the Cuban news agency reported via its X account.

The maneuver left nearly the entire capital province without power, where electricity service was gradually restored during the early hours of Friday morning.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PRESIDENT OF CUBA, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, WELCOMING RUSSIA'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI RYABKOV AT THE PALACE OF THE REVOLUTION / SOUNDBITES FROM DIAZ-CANEL, RYABKOV

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: HAVANA, CUBA (APRIL 9, 2026) (CUBAN GOVERNMENT TV – Access all)

1. PRESIDENT OF CUBA, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, WELCOMING RUSSIA'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI RYABKOV AT THE PALACE OF THE REVOLUTION / GREETING THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA, VICTOR KORONELLI

2. CUBAN AND RUSSIAN FLAGS

3. DIAZ-CANEL AND RYABKOV JOINED BY OFFICIAL DELEGATIONS DURING MEETING

4. DIAZ-CANEL AND RYABKOV DURING MEETING

5. RYABKOV LISTENING TO DIAZ-CANEL

6. DIAZ-CANEL AND RYABKOV DURING MEETING

7. CUBAN OFFICIALS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF CUBA, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE BEGINS OVER SHOT OF CUBAN OFFICIALS AND CONTINUES OVER VARIOUS SHOTS OF MEETING)

“This is an event of enormous significance and great symbolism. It signifies that Cuba is not alone, that, amidst a complex situation, brotherly nations like the Russian Federation stand by Cuba. It signifies that countries like the Russian Federation possess the courage not to submit to imperialist policies. I would like you to convey this message of gratitude to the Russian government, and to President Putin, but above all, to convey the immense significance this has held at a moment like this. It is the first, and the only, fuel shipment we have received in four months. And that holds tremendous meaning for us.”

9. RYABKOV DURING MEETING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VICE FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUSSIA, SERGEI RYABKOV, SAYING: (RYABKOV’S RUSSIAN HAS BEEN TRANSLATED TO SPANISH AT SOURCE)

"I would like to express that, at this moment in time, Russia stands in 100% solidarity with Cuba. We fully understand the complexity of the current situation the country is facing, and we stand by your side.”

11. RUSSIAN DELEGATION DURING MEETING

12. DIAZ-CANEL AND RYABKOV DURING MEETING

13. DIAZ-CANEL AT MEETING

14. VARIOUS OF MEETING IN PROGRESS